Knitting machine



Sept; 1 7, 1929. MURPHY 1,728,299

' KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1 919 8 Sheets-Sheet 57 pwg/wp z- G. MURPHY Sept. 17, 1929.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1919 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rf w!) J 0V \& I I o M 6m mm 7 MM w J QN\ o F \\.W 5 o A w I R Q mm m rmwm W im Q vm um Q Sept. 17, 1929. G. MURPHY KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1 19 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 1 7, 1929. G. MURPHY KNITTING MACHINE Filed A ril 28, 1519 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Pt- 1929' G. MURPHY KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1919 8 Sheets-Shet MEN-50A? Sept. 17, 1929. a a. MURPHY KNITTING. MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 28, 1919 I V/////// 23E Sept. 1 7,. 1929. G. MURPHY KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1919 7 a Sheets-Sheet 7 Sept. 17, 1929. I M P Y KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1919 8 Sheefcs-Sheet 8 i ting.

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES 'IION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PATENT OFFICElj Q GILBERT MURPHY, OF FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR 'I'O ACME KNITTING MACHINE 8c NEEDLE COMPANY, OF FRANKLIN, NEW' HAMPSHIRE,-A CORPORA- KNITTING MACHINE Application filed April 28,

=1 proposed heretofore in which either plain work or ribbed work could be knit, as desired, and in which a change from one kind of knitting to another could be made, so that stockings of the types just described could I be knit in a single machine. These machines,

however, have proved impractical, and consequently it is the universal practice at the present time to perform the ribbing and plain knitting operations in different machines. F or instance, in knitting stockings of the character above referred to, it is usually the practice to knit the ribbed top or cuff in one machine and then to transfer it to another machine which does the plain knit- This obviously is inconvenient, is wasteful of labor and requires the use of two types of machines.

The present invention has for its chief ob ject to devise a thoroughly practical machine which will knit both plain and ribbed goods and in which the change from one style of knitting to another can be made on a given piece of work at will. It is a further object of the invention to devise a machine of this type in which the change from ribbed to plain work, or vice versa, can be made automatically so that the machine will knit goods requiring both plain and ribbed knitting and will change automatically from one type of knitting to the other without requiring attention on the part of the attendant.

The invention will be herein described as embodied in a machine designed especially for knitting stockings, although it will be understood by those skilled in this art that the invention is not limited to this class of work.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following descrip- Fig. 7 is a view similar to, Fig.

1919. Serial No. 293,113.

tion when readiinconnection with the accompanying drawings and the novel fea tures will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim. T I i 2 Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through the needle cylinder and adjacent parts of a Inachineembodying this inven- 1on;, I

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of themchine; shown in' Fig. 2, certain parts at the head of the machinelbeing omitted; 1

Fig. dis a vertical cross sectional View through a part [of the needle cylinder and needle dial showing the relationship of the two sets of needles g F ig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the ribbing operation is performed; 5

:Fig. 6 is aplan view of a mechanism which is utilized to hold the central needle dial stationary; 1 w 6 showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the needle dial withwhich the machine is equipped, showing the ribbingneedles mounted therein; I

Fig. 9 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 99, Fig.1; I

Fig. 10 shows a series of views illustrating different positions of the parts that control the operation'of the ribbing needles;

Fig. 11'is a view of the lower face of the adjustable cam that controls the ribbing needles;

Fig. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view on the line 12-12, Fig. 11; 1

Figs. 13 and 14 are views similar to Fig. 11 showing the cam'in different positions'of adjustment;

Fig. 15 is a side shown in Fig. 13; g

Fig. 16 is a side'view of a cam wheel used in themachine; Fig.17 is a cross sectionalview on the line 17-17, Fig. 16, through one of the lugs on the cam wheel; 1 g

Fig- 1@ is an elevation showing certain Qt elevation of the parts the parts that elfect the automatic control of the ribbing needles;

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional view on the line 19-19 Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 1s a rear elevation showing one of the operating mechanisms for the cam wheel The, drawings show the invention applied .thema hi e .s owna d descr bed an th Hemphill ,Patent No; .eaasea granted ,Iuly ,x 8 9,and.teferenc .shonldibemac eto this patent for a detailed description-of the ,construction operation ofthe machine.

Fo pu poses of th pr e t -sp c i cation it may he stated that the machin hown in the .aecemn nying drawings, s for as it departs from't'he construction of the 'Hemph ll mach ne consi ts in addi qns t0 h m c in all of t e parts Lot th reeui Hemp illma hine be g use a tlltihes par s p ng in th ir u a manner. -;Briefiy stated, these additions" consist in a horizontal setof needles mounted on a dialplate and ,co-operating with the upright cylindrically arranged needles of the Hemphill machine to perform the rihbing operation. This horizontal set of needles is thrown out of operationwhen the machine "is knitting plain work and is brought into operation onlywhenitis desired to k-nit ribbedwork.

Controlling'mechanism is provided through which the horizontal or ribbing needles may be thrown into,- and out ofopei ation, and the machine isequipped with means controlled by the pattern chain for automatically throwing the ribbing needles into and out of operation at'predetermined points in the cycle of operations of the machine. The machine shown is designed to 'knit a stocking having a ribbed leg or a ribbed top and plain leg and foot, and then to repeat this operation,iknitting a .continuous tubular fabric fashioned at the heel'and toe, the relative proportions of the ribhed and plain parts of the work ibeing :controlled byuthe' pattern chain.

Referring 110W particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9 of the zdrawings,:the needles-with which the H'emphil-l machine regularly is equipped are'designated at 2, these FILBBCllGS being mounted in vertical guideways formed for them in a needle cylinder 3 that is sup ported in the upper end of a "web guide 1. Eaeh ofrtheneedles Q ,is provided with aheel 5 that rides on the upper edge'of acam 6 fast on themtating cam plate 7, "This cam plate? rotates in aacup-shapedibearing .8 provided in the frame of the machine and is provided with bevelled a-teeth that-engage the teeth of a bevel gear 9 fast on the main shaft 10 of the machine, this bevel gear operating to rotate the entire cam plate and the parts supported thereon. The needles 2 project upwardly just inside a thread ring 12 which rotates with the cam plate 7. The machine also is provided with a series of web holders or sinkers 13 mounted in radial grooves in a bed 14 which encircles the upper part of the needle cylinder 8. The needles 2 and sinkers 13 remain stat-iona-ry'while the cam plate 7,

cam 6 and thread ring 12 revolve in unison,

as is well understood by those skilled in this art.

The parts so far described are all constnuetecharranged and operate .as they do in the commercial Hemphill machine and for detailed information as to the construction and operation of these parts and of the supportingand operating mechanisms therefor, referenceshould bemade either 110111116 Hemphill machine .or to the Hemphill patent above designated.

The ribbing needles are indicated at 15. These needles are mounted in radial slots 15" formedin the upper horizontal surface of dial plate 16, Figs. 1 and 8, which is secured to the lower end of a post 17, Each of the needles 15 is provided with a heel 18 that runsin a campathor groove 19 formed in ,a cam 20,

It is necessaryv to move these needle-shackward and forward both for the purpose of enabling them to perform the knitting operation and also for the purpose .of bringing them into and "out ofoperation, as desired, during the knitting of .a stocking or otherarticle of work. Both of these operations are performed by, or through, the cam 20. The backward and forward movements of the needlesnecessary to enable them to perform their knitting operations, are producedby the ,rotation'of the-cam and the peculiarshape of the Cflmpath, and the control of the needles is efi ected by making certain parts of the cam adjustable so that the needles canfbe ,pushedout into the proper path to enable them to reach the thread and perform their knitting functions, or they can be drawn back to such a point that the thread cannot be placed in the hooks of the needles, and consequently they will be rendered inoperative so far as the knitting operation is concerned.

In order. to rotate thecam, it is mounted on ahead 21,11, from which a sle v 22 extends upwardly, encircling the post 17, and the ppe-r ,end ofthis sleeve is secured in a-clanip 23 f l-'meclnen .a yoke 2a w c is bolted to the top of two hl BtS25 and 26 secured at diametrically opposite points on the revolvingcam plate i In order to hold the dial 16 stationary. the ,post 17 is extended up .tln'ough theyeke 2a and is held against rotation by .a sliding latch mechanism. This mechanism is made necessary by the fact that the thread must be led from the cop, or other'source of supply, (not shown) to the thread eye 27 in the revolving thread ring 12. A plate 28 secured by a bolt 30 to the yoke 24 and has an eccentric slot 31 cut therein, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This plate, therefore, revolves with the cam plate 7 and the thread ring 12. The thread from the source of supply is led through a thread tube 32 secured in the rotating plate 28, this tube being substantially in vertical alinement with the thread eye 27 in the thread ring 1 12. The rotating parts are steadied by a rigid bracket 33 fixed to the frame of the machine, the plate 28 revolving in a circular opening cut in this bracket, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. An annular plate 34, Figs. 6 and 7, is secured to the bracket 33 concentrically with the plate 28 and is provided with bosses 35 and 36 through which slideways are cut for a latch 37. This latch consists of a bar, rectangular in cross section,

' mounted to slide through an opening formed for it in a head 38 integral with the post 17 and also through a collar 40 that encircles said head. Another collar 41 bears on the collar40 andis clamped on the post 17 by a nut 42 threaded on the reduced up per end of the post.

A roll 43 mounted on a stud projecting from the lower side of the slide 37 runs in the eccentric groove 31, and consequently, as

' the plate 28 revolves with the yoke 24 and cam 20, the slide or latch 37 will be moved backward and forward in the guideway formed through the parts 38, 40, 35 and 36. The thread tube 32 is located on the side of the eccentric plate 28 opposite to the point at which the groove 31 lies at its maximum' distance from the center of rotation of the plate, and the slide 37 is made of such a length that when the thread'tube 32 arrives at the path of movement of the slide, the eccentric groove 31 and roll 43 will have moved the slide or latch 37 away from the boss adjacent to the thread tube at that particular instant (as shown in Fig. 7) and thus avoid any interference between the slide and the thread tube. This construction thus holds the needle dial 16 stationary, while the cam 20 rotates, and also guides the thread to the thread eye 27 in the thread ring without any interference from stationary or non-rotating parts of the machine.

The construction of the cam 20 is best shown in Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive. Referring to these figures it will be seen that the cam comprises two members 44 and 45 which are secured to the plate 21 by dowel pins and screws. (Jo-operating with these parts are two members 46 and 47 similarly secured to the plate 21. These parts are other "cam member 48 having a groove 0' therein, which substantially connects the endsof the grooves a and b, is pivoted on the plate 21 at 49 so that it can swing inward or outward with reference to the periphery of the head 21. A, similar cam member 50 is pivoted to the plate or head 21 at 51 and is provided with a groove-(Z connecting the opposite ends 01 the cam grooves a and b. In order to limit the range of movement of the cam members 48 and 50, and also for the purpose of moving thenrwhen desired, pins .52 and ,53, respectively, are screwed into these cammembers from their upper sides and extend through slots 54 and 55, respectively, in the head 21.

In knitting plain work the cam members 48 and 50 are moved inwardly to the inner limits of their range of movement asshown in Fig. 11. In this position the cam 20 holds the ribbing needles 15 out of their knitting or operative positions. Consequently, if the machine is operated at this time it will knit pllain goods in exactly the manner that the emphill machine operates. Then, however, the cam members 48 and 50 -are ma-' nipulated in the proper manner, as willlater be described, to set the cam member 48 or 50 which is at the front of the machine, that is, toward the thread opening'27in the thread ring, in its outermost position, and the other cam'member in its intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 14, the ribbing needles then will be brought into operation. That is, they will be moved in and out in the propertime relationship to the operation of the vertical needles to catch the thread and they will co-operate with the vertical needles to knit a ribbed piece of work;

The manner in which this knitting operation is performed willbe readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 4, 5' and 8. Assuming for the moment that the horizontal needles 15 are held back in their inoperative positions. it will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 5 that the vertical needles perform the knitting operation by catching the, thread T as they descend from their up per positions. in which they are shown at the right of F ig. 5, to their lower positions approximately at the middle of said figure, pulling loops of thread through the loops held on the shanks of the needles, thencasting off the latter loops as the needles drop below the level of the sinker plates 13 and finally rising again to their normal positions as shown at the left of Fig. 5. This is the normal operation of theI-Iemphillmachine; When, however, the ribbing needles 15 are thrown into operation, these needles are brought successively into an advanced position in time to catch the thread as it is pulled downwardly by the vertical needles 2. In Fig. 5, shows one of the horizonthe needle. This operation is illustrated at 15 This movement occurs during the time that the vertical needles are :atthe lower part oftheir stroke. Fig. 8 illustrates substantially the positions in which the ribbing needles are moved successively as the cam '20 rotates, the cam pathbeing indicated in .dotted lines in said figure and the direction of rotation of .the cam being indicated by thearrow. It will be seen that the needles are projected at the lower side of :the figure, The thread is picked hp by the horizontal needles after they have been moved out of their farthest position and while they are moving backward again. 15 designates the needle in which .thethread is being placed. The latch atithisxtime is open and as the needle is d-rawnIin-to its slot in-the dial plate the loop heldon the shank ofthe needle slides forward, closing the latch, and drops off. The needles are again forced out by the rear cam, as shown alt-the :upper part of Fig. 8, and during-this movement the loops which :have been held in the hooks slide back :along the shanks, or speaking more correctly, the needles :slide forward through the loops. This movement opens the latches. Asshown in Figs. 4 and 22, the :lower edge of the thread ring 12'is shaped to form a cam face and gt-his cam face overlies the needles when they are :at the:outer .portion of their stroke. The latches are opened while opposite the high .portions P of the cam on the thread ring a-nd the needles-are later withdrawn, as shown at the left side of the dial in Fig. 8. When the needles are again forced out wardly, as shown at the lower part of F 8, they slide throughthe loops held on them until the. loops slip back of the latches. .There isla tendency for the latches to snap into a closed position as the loops slide over them, but this action is prevented by the fact that the 'low'part (a) oft-he cam surface on the thread ring overlies the'latches at this time. It is for the purpose of avoiding this action that the cam face is provided on the lower part of the thread ring. The needles are now ready to pick up the thread again to repeat the operation just described. lt will be noted that in the construction shown there are twice as many vertical needlesas horizontalneedles so that a'2 to 1:ribis formed.

1 As above stated, the cam not only gives the-ribbing needles xtheir operative movemeat but it also controls them. That is, it retains them in their inoperative or operative positions or in the intermediate positions necessary to performthe operations of welting or tucking. The movements of the cam members 48 and 150 necessary to effect this control .are transmitted through the pins 52 and 53. These pins are connected, respectively, to links 56 and 57, Fig. 9, that are pivoted to the free ends of levers 58 and 59 clamped rigidly to the top of rock shafts 60 and 61, respectively, which are mounted in the brackets 26 and 25 secured to the cam plate 7. Each rock shaft is encircled by a coiled spring which tends to turn it in the direction of the arrow associated therewi hin Fig. 9. In Fig. 1 the spring so co-operating with the rock shaft 61 is indicated at 62, the lower end of the spring being inserted in a hole formed in the bracket25 while the upper end is secured in a collar 63 clamped on the rock shaft Referring particularly to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the rock shaft 61 has fixed thereto an arm 64 which is provided with a curved face on its leading or forward side, and also is provided with a curved tail piece 65. The spring v62 tends to hold the parts 64, 61, 59 and 57 in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 9, and thus to hold the pin 53 at the outer end of the slot :59 and consequently to hold the cam member '50 at the outer limit of its range of movement as shown in Fig. 1 1. Two latches designated at 66 and 67, respectively, Fig. 9, are both mounted on a p'ivotpin 168 and have hooked ends shaped to engage the tail piece of the arm 6&. These hooked ends lie one beyond the other and the latches .66 and 67 are acted upon by the torsion springs 70 and 71, respectively, Fig. 1, which hold their hooked ends against the tail piece 65. It is obvious that if the arm 64 were swung in a clockwise direction, Fig. 9, against the tension of the spring 62 far enough to enable the latch 66 to engage and hold the tail piece '65, the pin 53 then would be held .at the inner end of the slot 55 and the cam 50 would be held in its innermost or closed position as-shownin Fig. 11. Furthermore, if the latch 66 were released and the tail piece 65 wereheld by the hook of the latch 67, this hook being slightly farther away from the axis of the pivot pin 68 than the hook of the latch 66, the pin 53 would thenbe held in an intermediate or middle position, holding the cam 50 in the position in which it appears in Fig. 18.

The other cam member 48 is moved and controlled by a similar mechanism co-operating with the link 56, lever 58 and rock shaft 60. These parts, as shown in Fig. 9, comprise an arm 74 having a tail piece 75 and latches 76 and 77' turning on a pivot pin 78, all of these parts correspond ing to the parts 64 to 68, the only difference being that the outer ends of the parts 74, 76 and 77 lieat difierent levels, or elevations, from the corresponding parts at the other side of the thread cylinder. This difference in elevation of these parts is utilized to effect, through an automatic mechanism, a movement of any one of the desired parts 64, 66, 67, 74, 76 or 77, as it may be necessary, to effect an adjustment of one of the cam members 48 or 50.

This automatic mechanism comprises a spool shaped member 80, (hereinafter called a spool), see Figs. 2, 3 and 9, having upper and lower disk-like heads, and this spool 80 is moved into various elevations by means of connections with a cam wheel. In its different positions of elevation one or the other of its heads lie in the path of rotation of the ends of one or more of the latches or arms 64, 66, 67, 74, 76 or 77, and their engagement withthe spool moves them into the desired position. I

In order to effect this vertical adjustment of the spool 80 the spool is fixed on the upper end of a rod 81, Fig. 3, which projects through the frame of the machine and is encircled by a spring 82 bearing against a collar 83 clamped on the rod 81; this spring thus tends to hold the spool 80 in its depressed position. To elevate the spool a plate 84 has its vertical end forked to straddle the rod 81 just below the spool and this plate is clampedto the upper end of a vertical rod 85 which normally is held in its depressed position by a spring 86 encircling the rod and bearing against a collar 87 clamped thereto. The rod is guided in suitable brackets fixed to the machine and carries a head 88 at its lower end into which is threaded a bolt 90. This bolt bears on an arm 91, Fig. 3, whichcis'pivoted on the machine frame at 92 and has a V-shaped cam member 93 secured to its lower side in position to be engaged by any one of numerous lugs 94 adjustably secured to the side of a cam wheel 95. This cam wheel 95 has a toothed periphery and it is advanced automatically by a pawl 96, Fig. 20, fast on an eccentric strap 97, Figs. 1 and 20, which runs on an eccentric 98 thatrotates with the main shaft 10. A spring 99 holds the pawl in engagement with the periphery of the wheel 95.

It will now be evident that when the machine is in operation and the main shaft 10 is rotating, the pawl 96 will effect a step by step rotation of the cam wheel 95 and that the lugs 94 on this wheel as they come in contact with the V-shaped part 93 on the arm 91 will raise this arm. This motion will be transmitted throughthe parts 90,

88, 85 and 84 to the spool 80, raising the spool to a height depending upon the adjustment of the lug 94 with which the part 93 is in engagement. Furthermore, the length of time that the spoolzis held in its elevated position. will depend upon the the heel and toe anduthe other changes in the functions. of the machine necessary to enable it to perform its cycle of operations. These lugs are on the right hand side of the links of the chain 100, as it appears in Fig. 18. In the presentmachine links are used having additional lugs, one of which is indicated at 101, Fig. 18, on the left hand sideof the chain. vAs shown in Figs. 16 and 20, the cam wheel 95 is provided on its periphery with several smooth places 102. Consequently, when the pawl 96 arrives at one of these smooth places it cannot advance the cam wheel since the end ofthepawl simply slides back and forth in the space 102.

The automatic feed of the cam wheel thus is interrupted and the links of the chain 100 carrying thelugs 101 are utilized to move the cam wheel 95' forward one toothto place the cam wheel again in: the range of operation of the pawl 96.

The chain 100 rides on a sprocket wheel 103 which is rotated step by step by a pawl and ratchet mechanism, as in the commercial Hemphill machine, and the lug 101 is arranged to strike another lug 104 projecting from one side of an arm 105, Figs 18 and 21, pivoted on the machine frame at 106 and projecting in a direction approximately parallel to the main shaft 10. This arm has an inturned end 107 that lies parallel with an close to theface of the On the'cam wheel substancam wheel 95. tially in a radial line with each ofthe smooth places 102 is a pin 108 that extends through the wheel and has an enlarged head 109 normally held against one face ofthe wheel by means of a spring 110. A stationary plate 112, Fig. 2, having an inclined cam face is secured to the machine frame in such a position that when the pawl 96 is working in one of the smooth places 102 -the pin 108 will have ridden up on the inclined face of the plate 102 and conse quently'will have been forced outwardlyiso that the enlarged head 109 will be pro- -jected away from the face of the cam wheel and will lie immediately abovetheinturned" end 107 ofthelever 105.

6'}. messes. T

The. parts will remain in this position until one of the lugsl01 on: the chain. 100 strikesthe lug-"10 i on the arm- 105 and raises this arm, whereupon its end: 107 will strike :the. head: 109 of the pin 108 and move. it

:plate 102. andvadvances thewheel step. by

step.until.itsoperation on thecam' plate is again arrested by itsaengagement with the next smooth-place 102'.

As is: well understood bythose. skilled in this art, the-"pattern"mechanisnrof the ma.-

chine isdesignedi to= causethemachine auto.- matically to. knit a. toe, foot, heel and leg.

of a stocking during: each I cycle, referring to." the-,cyole=- as including the sequence of operations; necessary to enable the machine toyknit, ancomplete stocking. The machinerepe'ats" this cycle: automatically and the cam plate: 95 makes one=compliete revolution during each cycle of; operationsiofi the. machine.

The operation at themaehineis. as follows :v The knitting operation is started in the. same way-that itis in theaHemphill machine and; the; pattern chain 100. is provided Withlinks: properly: spaced to-cause the machine tolknifi avtoe, foot, and heel automaticallywand; so much of'theleg as it is desired to knit; plain; During this operatlOH:.tl18"Cam'20; holds the; horizontal or ribbing vneedles in; their inoperative posi 'tions... That 1s,;bothaofizthezcam members:

48;;and. 50. are-held 'in their: innermost or closed positions by the latches 67 and 77..

Zhengthe lug: A, Fig.1. I6 strikes the cam the rea'r calm and the cam- 50 as the front cam. Upon the next rotation ofi thecamplate 7 the lower disk of the spool SOstrikes the frontuen'd ,ofthealatchflfi and trips it, whereupon, the: tail piece immediately is moved slightly by; the; spring" that encirclesi the rock; shaft: 60,-.,but..this tail piece is caught and held: againxbynthe latch 76.

The. intermediate: movement, however, oper-' ates: through the 31111558 and; link 56, toamove the vrearcam into; its-intermediate position.

:nThisg causes the 1 ribhinggneedles 16 to more outwardly alongithe .part of :the chat oppo-i site-,1 at any .instant-,to;-;the .th'read guide 27 and .carriestheilatches of these needles under a stiff brush. 1-1l. Fig. 9, which is fastened tothe-arm 115non which the threadn-ing12 is supported; Asthe cam plate 7 rotates and; the brush. 114 comesin contact. with the latches; off :thQIhOIiZOIllZEIl; needles-it,- opensthem inreadinessior the: next operation.

The cam piece 93 next moves up, onto the small notchb on the lug B, Fig. 16, which raises the spool to the full line position, Fig. 10 at B. The latch 67 strikes the lower disk of the spool and releases the tail piece 65 which is immediately caught again by the latch 66, but the movement of the arm 6 l so produced moves the front cam to its intermediate position. Both the front and rear cams are now in their-intermediate positions. Consequently, the work is now caught on the horizontal needles. The cam part 93" next rises to the top of the lug B which: raises the spool 80 to its uppermost position, shown in Fig. 1 0 at B. The upper disk of-the spool 80 is struck by the arm 64. which pushes the front cam back to its closed. or: innermost position where it is held by thelatch 66. The machine makes two rounds or courses while the needles remain in this position without casting off; thus'vproducing a welt which serves to close up the holes thatotherwise would be formed 7 by changing from the plain knitting to ribbing.

The cam part 93 next drops on to the latches 66 and: 67 thus completely releasing the front cam and enabling the spring 62 to move this cam to its forward position. The rear cam still remains in its intermediate position; in other words, the cams are in the position shown: in Fig. 14. In this position the machine performs the ribbing operation as previously described, the needles being advanced by their engagement with the high part of the frontcam and retracted after this high part has: passed and the thread has been picked up by the needles.

The operations so far described illustrate the-manner in which the cam lugs on the cam plate 95: eifect the adjustment of the front and rear cam members50 and 48 of the cam 20. Any further detailed description of the operationproduced by the different cam lugs, therefore, isbelieved to be unnecessary. It may be stated, however, that the particular arrangementof lugs shownin Fig. 16is such that the lug D adjusts the cam QO-to make a welt near the top of theribbed cuff, the lug E causes the machine to continue'the ribbing operation again and these operationsare repeated by the lugs F and G,H and I, and J, K andzL. That is, four rows of welting are made in the stocking, each of the lugsD, "F and H, being-long enough tocause the machine to make a welt of two courses, while K causes the machine to make a welt of "four courses. The lug M produces a tuck course or courses and the lugs, N and 0 let the workv It may alsobe stated that inletting the work off the ribbing needles it is merely necessary to move the front cam to its middle position and then close it completely and open the rear cam to its farthest position, thus forcing the ribbing needles out to the extreme limit of their movement and sliding the loops that they hold back over the latches of the needles. WVhen the needles are pulled inwardly again during their travel through the path in the rear cam, the loops slide off over the latches. This casts the work off the ribbing needles and the rear cam is then closed to move the needles into their inoperative positions. These movements are produced automatically by the movement of the spool 80 through certain of the positions illustrated in Figs. 10 at C and D as will readily be understood without detailed description.

In this connection it will be understood that a welt is produced when the work is held on the ribbing or horizontal needles, but these needles are not advanced far enough to'pick up the thread. Similarly, a tuck is produced when the adjustable cams are in their intermediate positions so that they advance the needles far enough to pick up the thread but do not allow the needles to advance far enough to cast off the work.

Attention is particularly called to the very simple construction of the cam that con trols the ribbing needles. It will be seen that this cam has only two moving parts and that each of these parts is adjustable on a pivot. Furthermore, this cam is so constructed that it is a very simple matter to remove a ribbing needle from the dial whenever a needle becomes broken or otherwise injured. It is merely necessary to turn the cam until one of the spaces between the members 4:5 and or between the parts 44: and as is opposite the groove in which the broken needle is located. The needle may then be drawn out of the dial plate and replaced by a new one. This cam can rotate in either direction to give the horizontal needles a knitting movement. Each of the needle grooves, or races, terminates at the outer edge of the dial plate in an inclined notch, as indicated in Fig. 8, and the needles draw the work into these notches when the needles are moved backward during the knitting operation to cast off the loops, the inclined notches facilitating the casting off of the loops.

The machine is equipped with the usual web takcup mounted near the lower end of the web guide 4, this takeup not being shown in the drawings. An auxiliary takeup is also located. in the web guide for the purpose of maintaining a tension on the goods at the point where the heel or toe is formed. The takeup with which the Hemphill machine ordinarily is equipped does not apply sutficient tension to the stocking to pull out the pocket that is formed at the heel and toe and this auxiliary takeup is designed to act upon this particular part of the stocking at a point relatively close to the needles and thus avoid any flaws in the goods that might be profast on the main shaft 10 and driving a train of gears 117, 118 and 119. The last of these gears, 119, see particularly Fig. 23, is mounted loosely on a stub shaft 120 on which also is loosely mounted a ratchet wheel 121 and a bevel gear 122. Apawl 123 carried by the gear 119 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 121 and drives this wheel and the bevel gear 122 when the machine isdriven in its normal direction of rotation. It does not, however, drive the ratchet wheel when the machine is reversed. The bevel gear 122 meshes with another bevel gear, 124 rotating freely on a shaft 125 which is connected by a bracket 126 with the shaft 120. A sleeve 127 anda pulley 128 both rotate with the gear wheel 124. I A bracket arm 129 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 125 and projects upwardly within the web guide 4, as shown in Figs. ,1, 2 and 3, andthis bracket arm supports a pulley 130 at its upper end. A belt 131 is mountedon the pulleys 130 and 128 and is driven by the connections with the pinion 116. This belt preferably is I made of rubber, fabric, or some material designed to exert a friction or dragging action upon the web of knitted fabric that hangs downwardly within the web guide 4. A spring 132, Fig. 2, acts on the bracket arm 129 to press the pulley 130 lightly against the shank of the dial plate 16. The belt 181 at the point where it passes over the pulley 130 thus presses the material in the heel and toe parts of the stocking against the lower part of the member 16 and stretches it, pulling out the looseness that otherwise would be present, and thus applies the tension to the goods that is necessary to enable the ribbing needles to properly function in case they are brought into operation immediately after the foot of the stocking has been formed.

While I have herein shown and described the best embodiment of the invention of which I am at present aware, it will be understood that this I embodiment may be modified in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new, is:

A knitting machine having, in combination, a circular set of vertical needles for knitting a plain tubular fabric, a horizontal set of needles arranged to cooperate with said vertical'set to knit a ribbed fabric, a stationary dial supporting said horizontal needles within said vertical set of needles,

a rotatable cam acting on said horizontal needles to give them a knitting movement, said cam being adjustable to vary the operation of said horizontal needles, means com; prising a plurality of latcheslocated at dif ferent elevations and rotating with said cam for holding the cam in different positions of adjustmenha relatively stationary device adjustable into different elevations to engage and operate said latches, a cam wheel having lugs thereon, connections whereby said lugs are operative to adjust said, stationary device, said cam wheel having a toothed periphery with teeth omitted v, therefrom at intervals, a driven pawl for engaging the teeth of said cam wheel to rotate it step by step, said pawl being inoperative, however, to rotate said cam wheel when it engages the points on said wheel at which a tooth is omitted, a pattern chain automatically controlling the sequence of the knitting operationsof the machine, a plurality ofspring pressed pins carried by said cam wheel, cam means for projecting one of said pins whenever the wheel 1s moved into aposition such that its feeding movement by the pawl is interrupted, and means arranged to be operated by lugs on said pattern chain and operativeto engage a pin so projectedand thereby to move the pin so engaged and said cam wheelfar enough to cause said pawl again tooper' atively engagethe teeth of said cam wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GILBERT MURPHY. 

